1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a fastening system, and, more particularly, to a lace fastening assembly and method for using same for facilitating simple, efficient and secure fastening of an article.
2. Description of Related Art
Fastening or tightening objects by means of strings or laces is known. Typically, a string or lace is run through a series of holes on opposing sides of an article to be secured together, and the free ends of the string or lace are then pulled to bring the opposing sides together.
In particular, many types of footwear employ lacing to secure footwear onto the foot. While alternate fastening means exist, such as fabric hook and loop fasteners, zippers, etc., tying with laces is often superior for a number of reasons. For example, the use of laces provides the user with many more degrees of adjustment in the fit of an article, enabling the user to create as snug or loose a fit as desired. Namely, as the material of the footwear itself is worn over time it becomes broken in, causing a looser fit, which the user can compensate for by tying the laces tighter. In other instances, the user's foot may swell slightly during the course of the day, and the user may accordingly loosen the laces a desired amount to accommodate the swelling. A true custom fit is thus achieved each time the footwear is worn.
Another advantage with using laces as a fastening system in footwear is that it typically provides greater strength than zippers or hook and loop fasteners, both of which are prone to breakage and failure, especially during vigorous athletic activities which impose high tensile forces upon a footwear's fastening means.
However, conventional lacing systems have some disadvantages over other fastening means. For example, tying laces is typically more time consuming than using, e.g., a zipper, and also involves a degree of skill and manual dexterity to create a proper knot of sufficient tightness and end loop lengths to ensure the knot will not be too easily untied.
In the case of footwear, laces also add bulk to the top of a shoe, especially due to the knot and/or free end portions of the lace. This can be especially disadvantageous in certain sports, such as soccer, where footwear which has a low profile kicking surface is essential.
Furthermore, laces often nevertheless become untied, sometimes repeatedly, especially when the user engages in athletic activity, particularly in youth sports. In footwear, this creates a hazardous situation for the user by increasing the risk of tripping, thus requiring the user to stop, bend down and retie the lace before being able to return to the activity.
During, e.g., a team sport activity, this can be disruptive not only to the user but to the players, coaches and spectators, particularly in youth sports where children require adults to tie their laces. Repeated instances of laces becoming untied by multiple players can seriously interrupt the overall flow of a game.
While extra knots could be employed to prevent a lace from become untied during use, this is often undesirable as it increases the difficulty and time in both securing and releasing the article, as well as adds additional bulk, e.g., to the top of a shoe.
Accordingly, a need exists for an easy-to-use fastening system which securely fastens an article while adding minimal bulk, and which is easy to fasten and unfasten by the user.